Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction
Exploring quantum electrodynamics in the most extreme conditions, where electron-positron pairs can emerge in the presence of a strong background field, is now becoming possible in Compton collisions between ultraintense lasers and energetic electrons. In the strong-field regime, the colliding elect...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L032011 |
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| _version_ | 1850100390279774208 |
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| author | Aimé Matheron Igor Andriyash Xavier Davoine Laurent Gremillet Mattys Pouyez Mickael Grech Livia Lancia Kim Ta Phuoc Sébastien Corde |
| author_facet | Aimé Matheron Igor Andriyash Xavier Davoine Laurent Gremillet Mattys Pouyez Mickael Grech Livia Lancia Kim Ta Phuoc Sébastien Corde |
| author_sort | Aimé Matheron |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exploring quantum electrodynamics in the most extreme conditions, where electron-positron pairs can emerge in the presence of a strong background field, is now becoming possible in Compton collisions between ultraintense lasers and energetic electrons. In the strong-field regime, the colliding electron emits γ rays that decay into pairs in the strong laser field. While the combination of conventional accelerators and lasers of sufficient power poses significant challenges, laser-plasma accelerators offer a promising alternative for producing the required multi-GeV electron beams. To overcome the complexities of colliding these beams with another ultraintense laser pulse, we propose a scheme in which a single laser pulse both accelerates the electrons and collides with them after self-focusing in a dedicated plasma section and reflecting off a plasma mirror. The laser intensity boost in the plasma allows the quantum interaction parameter to be greatly increased. Using full-scale numerical simulations, we demonstrate that a single 100J laser pulse can achieve a deep quantum regime with electric fields in the electron rest frame as high as χ_{e}∼5 times the Schwinger critical field, resulting in the production of about 40 pC of positrons. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dda6be04081945548199e8db804cb871 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2643-1564 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-dda6be04081945548199e8db804cb8712025-08-20T02:40:18ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642025-07-0173L03201110.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L032011Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interactionAimé MatheronIgor AndriyashXavier DavoineLaurent GremilletMattys PouyezMickael GrechLivia LanciaKim Ta PhuocSébastien CordeExploring quantum electrodynamics in the most extreme conditions, where electron-positron pairs can emerge in the presence of a strong background field, is now becoming possible in Compton collisions between ultraintense lasers and energetic electrons. In the strong-field regime, the colliding electron emits γ rays that decay into pairs in the strong laser field. While the combination of conventional accelerators and lasers of sufficient power poses significant challenges, laser-plasma accelerators offer a promising alternative for producing the required multi-GeV electron beams. To overcome the complexities of colliding these beams with another ultraintense laser pulse, we propose a scheme in which a single laser pulse both accelerates the electrons and collides with them after self-focusing in a dedicated plasma section and reflecting off a plasma mirror. The laser intensity boost in the plasma allows the quantum interaction parameter to be greatly increased. Using full-scale numerical simulations, we demonstrate that a single 100J laser pulse can achieve a deep quantum regime with electric fields in the electron rest frame as high as χ_{e}∼5 times the Schwinger critical field, resulting in the production of about 40 pC of positrons.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L032011 |
| spellingShingle | Aimé Matheron Igor Andriyash Xavier Davoine Laurent Gremillet Mattys Pouyez Mickael Grech Livia Lancia Kim Ta Phuoc Sébastien Corde Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction Physical Review Research |
| title | Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction |
| title_full | Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction |
| title_fullStr | Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction |
| title_short | Self-triggered strong-field QED collisions in laser-plasma interaction |
| title_sort | self triggered strong field qed collisions in laser plasma interaction |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L032011 |
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